Energy management is an important consideration in commercial buildings, including apartment buildings and condominiums. Energy is often wasted in large amounts due to poor temperature control. For example, in cold climates, heating a space may use unnecessary amounts of energy due to a window being open, poor insulation, or poor air circulation. Such energy expenditures are difficult for building managers to monitor and to control without compromising the tenant's comfort.
It is also difficult for building managers to monitor or control per-unit heat energy consumption. As such, when energy is wasted, a building manager may not be specifically aware of the source of the problem. While existing technologies allow for the building manager to monitor overall energy consumption and/or unit temperature, the manager must confront the tenant to make adjustments to their energy consumption habits.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,224,490 describes a system that limits the amount of energy available for a given unit by way of predetermined algorithms. However, such methods and systems do not include real time monitoring and analysis. As such, personalized temperature control for a given position of a unit in a building as well as any insulation leaks or open windows cannot be compensated for, monitored, or controlled.
Additionally, with existing technologies, changes to the system may only be made on site using specialized tools and requiring expertise with complex technologies.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,965,586 is a method and apparatus for retrofitting constant volume HVAC devices by taking control of existing air movement.
There is therefore a need to mitigate, if not overcome, the shortcomings of the prior art and to provide a method and system for reducing energy consumption in temperature control by controlling and monitoring energy output toward temperature control.